Chandrapur: In one of the deadliest tiger attacks in recent years at India’s densest tiger belt in eastern Maharashtra, four women collecting tendu leaves were mauled to death in a single strike in Sindewahi forest range of Chandrapur district and a 55-year-old man was killed in Adyal forest range in Bhandara, 88km away on Friday, said forest dept officials. The attacks intensified concerns over the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the region even as another woman collecting tendu leaves was critically injured in compartment 582 of Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve within a few hours.Tendu leaf collectors — Kavdabai Dadaji Mohurle, 45, Anita Dadaji Mohurle, 40, Sunita Kaushik Mohurle, 38, and Sangita Santosh Chaudhary, 50 — had entered the forest near Gunjewahi village when a crouching tiger pounced on them. All four women died, before villagers could intervene. The Bhandara tribal, Baburao Pillewan, of Katurli village, had gone to the forest to collect broomstick grass, when he was killed by a tiger.The rising human toll comes amidst the peak tendu leaf collection season, a crucial source of livelihood for tribals across eastern Maharashtra. Forest and police officials rushed to the spot after receiving information and launched extensive search and surveillance operations in the area. The bodies were sent for autopsy.Forest officials installed three live surveillance cameras and around 30 camera traps to track the killer tiger even as tendu leaf collection in the affected zone was stopped. “The kin of each deceased will receive Rs 25lakh compensation after procedural formalities. Ex gratia payout of Rs 25,000 each has already been disbursed,” said a top forest official. Range Forest Officer, Sindewahi, Anjali Sayankar told TOI that “teams regularly visit tendu collection centres and advise labourers to enter forests in groups. Awareness campaigns through loudspeakers, posters and village-level outreach are conducted regularly”.The 45-year-old woman, Yogita Jengthe of Warvat village, who was critically injured in a tiger attack at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and battling for life at GMCH, Chandrapur, was given Rs 5lakh aid by the govt.Wildlife experts and forest officials described the four deaths in a single attack in Chandrapur as extremely rare and alarming. On May 19, a tendu leaf collector, was killed at the Balapur forest dept corporation (FDCM) range. The toll from wild animal attacks in Chandrapur district this year rose to 19, including 18 tiger attack deaths and one leopard attack fatality. Official records show the district witnessed 47 deaths in predator attacks in 2025, including 11 tendu leaf collectors killed during harvesting season.Tendu unit auctions are typically conducted in February, while leaf collection continues from mid-March to May — a period coinciding with increased tiger movement around water sources and forest fringes.Wildlife activist and former State Wildlife Board member Bandu Dhotre said nearly 200 people died in wildlife attacks in Chandrapur between 2021 and 2025. He urged the govt to move beyond compensation-based responses and adopt long-term mitigation measures to address the human-wildlife conflict.
